Is this Susan?

Young Sara is haunted by mysterious phone calls. At first, she thought it was just a joke played on her by a couple of bored girls, but when the calls didn't stop, and strange things started happening, she was forced to face the truth; that this was as far from a joke as it could be.

1. Is this Susan?

Her fingers froze as she reached out from under the duvet. Each hollow ringing of her phone made her heart beat faster. She was afraid of answering, but she was just as terrified by the thought of letting it ring. She tried to keep her eyes closed, she didn't need to see to know what would be waiting for her. It was the same every night.

The past few weeks had felt like years. Every night her phone had rung and the same innocent voice had asked her; “Is this Susan?” Every time she had given the same answer. “No, I'm Sara.”

At first, she had thought it was just a joke played on her by a couple of bored girls, but the calls didn't stop. Every night the little girl's voice had brought even worse accusations; allegations of betrayal, neglect and the last few nights, even murder.

Fear and curiosity forced her eyes to open. She turned her face towards the door, where the remnant of an image was looking back at her. A young, blonde girl whose innocent blue eyes were filled with tears approached her, getting closer with every ringing.

The first time the little girl had appeared had been a few nights earlier. The phone had rung again, but Sara had ignored it. She had pulled the duvet tighter around her and listened to the wind howling outside. But the ringing had been persistent; it had seemed to grow louder and louder until it had become a horrifying scream that had no longer seemed to come from the phone.

The girl had been standing in the door to Sara's bedroom, the scream escaping her closed lips as if they weren't even there. Her eyes had been just as empty and desperate as they were now.

Sara had picked up the phone, the fear had made her unable to do anything else, not even scream. It was as if the little girl had stolen her voice. The girl had then vanished as her voice sounded through the phone. “Is this Susan?”

The next morning Sara had seen the girl's photo on the morning news. She had been found frozen to death in one of the city's many parks. They were looking for relatives. The only thing they knew about this poor girl, was her name; Ellie. According to the news, she had been holding a photo, of herself and an older girl. The words Ellie and Susan, were written on the back.

The next few nights, the girl had appeared in the same way, but those times she hadn't vanished when Sara picked up the phone. She had stood there, her lips unmoving even as she spoke to Sara through the phone; “Is this Susan?”

Sara returned to the present at once, as the little girl's face was now mere inches from her own. The only movement was the silent tears that continued to slide down Ellie's once rosy cheeks.

She was holding the phone in her hand, reaching it towards Sara, a hopeful look appearing in her eyes before it vanished and they once again became silent.

Sara answered the phone, her lip quivering as she uttered a soundless hello.

“Is this Susan?” Ellie once again asked, this time her lips moved. Her skin was no longer pale and transparent, but the girl seemed alive as she sat there in front of Sara.

“Why did you leave me?” She asked and the scene changed at once. Sara looked around and found herself standing by a heartbroken child. The little girl was reaching for her. Her words were nearly strangled by her tears.

“Please don't leave me Susan!” She cried as the door was closed between them, a single word burning its way into Sara's memory as she looked at the sign on the old wooden door. Orphanage.

Fresh tears were spilled as Sara was whirled back to her bedroom, the little girl watching her expectantly. “I'm not Susan.” Sara managed to whisper through her tears. Ellie's face became void of emotion once again as she reached out for Sara. Her arms wrapped around the older girl, pulled her into the world of cold, betrayal and fear that Ellie was now living in.

Unknown to both of them was; that the following morning, the news told the story of two tragedies. An orphan girl who had run away, and frozen to death as she failed to make it on her own and a teenage girl whose death remained a mystery.